Happened in NYC, but could easily be in the Wasatch as well.
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Archive for the 'Videos' Category
Here is yet another brilliant video by Derek. Simple, to the point and thought provoking.
The Wasatch Cache Forest Service has granted guiding concessions to three operators in the Wasatch Mountains; Exum of Utah (backcountry skiing & climbing), Utah Interconnect (Skiing between the ski areas) and the Wasatch Powderbird Guides. While most people have never even heard of the first two guiding concessions, the Powderbirds on the other hand is one of the most controversial guiding operations in all of America. It is hard to imagine the Forest Service granting a permit to, say, a fly fishing guide service which allowed them to bomb the rivers, tear out trees so their clients could cast easier and land directly on top of other river users who have hiked in to the prime fishing holes on their own. The Forest Service does this as they are set in their ways of 35 years, and more importantly, they collect user fees from the Wasatch Powderbird Guides.
A fun video with some nice terrain, but what you are not really seeing is that the helicopter took off from the base of Snowbird, then landed a few seconds later almost at the top of the resort, where the party then had to tour under their own power to get out to this region. Helicopters are not allowed to land within the wilderness boundaries (where all of this skiing in this video takes place), so they land as close as they can get… then everyone skins from there. Helicopters are hardly necessary for trips like this – the chairlifts get you to almost the same place, and for much, much less money (and impact).
A short but well produced video teaser of both sides of the conflict:
As a humorous aside, as the Director/Producer of this film was driving up up Little Cottonwood Canyon to interview one of the main owners of the Wasatch Powderbird Guides, he was tail-gated, then recklessly passed by a car from behind, which resulted in a one-finger salute from the Director. When the Director pulled into the WPG parking lot, the WPG owner recognized him as the guy who flipped him off and declined to give an interview. End of the film project?
Tyson Bradley, ex-backcountry skier turned Wasatch Powderbird Guide, explains the conflict and admits that the helicopters are disruptive.
A day with the Wasatch Powderbird Guides is often confused with a day of “real” heliskiing in places like Alaska or Canada. Skiers and boarders imagine big lines, deep powder, killin’ it with the bro’s and skiing steep lines.
This is not the case.
The Powderbird Guides operate in the very small and congested Wasatch Mountains and cater to intermediate skiers & boarders riding intermediate terrain. The average flight is a few minutes (if not seconds) and many of the runs are only 1,000 – 1,500′ long and heavily chaperoned. Not possible? Put on your gold chains, unbutton your shirt and get down to this video from a day of skiing with the Powderbirds: